...but it wasn't a Ducati. No It was the new Triumph Thruxton R. When I bought my SC I was considering the then current Triumph Thruxton but the power output was so weedy (62bhp???) and the suspension, brakes and cycle parts so un-sporting I thought it was a bit embarrassing for Triumph to sell it with the glorious "Thruxton" badge (although compared with the 60's original it was up there...but time has moved on!) So I sold my SC last year (and yes regretted it) and with Ducati concentrating on Scramblers for their retro-output, and the prices of second hand SCs on the ceiling I found myself wishing, a) Ducati would re-release an updated SC or b) Mr Bloor would revive the ancient Bonneville range and release a decent Thruxton along the SC lines. Well a) was never going to happen but - blow me! b) has! Mr Bloor has listened and , to my mind, set out to replicate the SC in Triumph form with modern additions and a tad more power (96bhp as opposed to the SCs 92bhp) I wonder if the dramatic price rise of 2nd hand SCs influenced the folk at Hinkley showing there was real demand for a powerful, responsive Retro as opposed to a plodding one? Certainly Hinkley have based a new model on a successful competitor before - the 2001 Hinkley Bonnie was pitched and speced as near as dammit to the Harley 883 Sportster of the time in power, performance and price. So... buy a decent low mileage SC for 10k or fork out 12k for a brand new Thruxton are which, to be fair, is a much more capable bike??? Looks like the Thuxton R has grabbed me. I wonder how this will affect both SC and Norton (which the Thuxton R seems to trounce as well) second hand prices in the long term///
Despite it's failings I've always been a massive fan of SC's. I think prices are starting to fall but nice, original low miler's still fetching strong money, will be interesting to see what impact the Thruxton will have on future values. To think I sold a SC in 2009 for £4000 still makes me weep... The Thruxton looks good and I will look at one asap but it's a great shame, with all that heritage they're made out in the far east..
Retro has been getting cooler for a while; in my mind I mean. I was gifted a Thruxton in 2009 to add a little retro & to give my wife & I something to plod around on together; sports bikes still float my boat the most however. I know what you mean about the budget cycle parts etc; I bought mine with a view to keeping it standard, but I couldn't help myself & have, over time, changed mine quite a lot. It now has suspension which is as good as it needs to be, puts out healthy power, stops quite well for a heavy girl & the styling is much more to my liking. I didn't think Triumph would bring out a more "modern" bike like the Thrux R; how can you have modern retro; it seems a contradiction to me but its driven by fashion & what the customer demands I guess. I sat on one at the NEC, but I am unsure; its a bit narrow maybe. I really like how it looks with the fairing around the headlight & hope they will retro-fit to the earlier models. I can't sell mine as it was a gift from my wife; I wouldn't want to anyway. I also really like the SC too; my neighbour has one & all the children hide when he starts it up.
